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Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Thanksgiving blessings

Good golly Miss Molly, Happy Thanksgiving. It is here. I am so shocked at how it snuck up on me. I’ve been thinking about the menu for the big meal for a couple of weeks, been working overtime on items to load my shops with, and planning my strategies for free shipping and the like, but good golly Miss Molly, I am out of time.

Out of time. That sound you hear, the sudden whoosh/hiss is my balloon deflating. Today I clean, run errands, shop and chop. It’s over. What is done is done, there won’t be any more crafting.sniff

December is like stepping onto a plane, with your suitcases packed…destination, 'another land'. Maybe even, another planet! Like stepping onto a tour bus with itinerary already planned...first stop...Christmas tree village and outside lights parkway, shop-buy-wrap exit, 5 miles ahead... My time is not my own’s, my time is altered. It has shrunk. Paired with a brain that is shrunk, here comes messy stressy highway. ha I crack myself up. Destination: December 25, AM.

Am I complaining? It sure sounds like it, but I don’t mean to. December is the month preceding the day we celebrate for the Lords birth and it takes a lot of effort to keep the Lord in the holiday. Because it is also the month that the ads come out. You know, the toy ‘catalogs’ that come in every Sunday paper. …small chuckle, my grand kids are already cutting out what they want, and carry the pictures around with them and pretend play with them. Christmas presents are serious business when you are 3 and 4 years old. What a delight my small blessings are.

But...I'm time traveling again, we are not quite through the big holiday kickoff day yet, the tv parade and football game is tomorrow along with a good carbo overload, it's the last peaceful, non stress, point of celebration for the year for me, and I have so much to be thankful for.

As per my usual morning wake-up routine, I'm on the internet and I have come across some really good scriptures and blog posts that relate really well to the up and coming holiday that we share in the US.

I’m sharing...you are welcome to my house tomorrow too for some pie. . . . nora

"Two things I ask of you;deny them not to me before I die:Remove far from me falsehood and lying;give me neither poverty nor riches;feed me with the food that is needful for me, lest I be full and deny youand say, “Who is the Lord?”or lest I be poor and stealand profane the name of my God." Proverbs 30:7-9

From the Bible, such amazing words to strive for, I hate being lied to, so much, that I try not to lie. It’s the principle of not being that kind of person, I hate a liar. Lying is the exaltation of self above another to manipulate towards one’s own goal at the expense of the truth being told. I hate being manipulated.

Wow. Words to live by. How much of life is wasted in the pursuit of excess. Way too much, and there is a day that you run out of life. Moderation is an exercise to learn early on and to practice daily. . . nora

"The Glutton's Blessing"

"For what we are about to receive into our already enormous and overfed bodies, please accept our thanks. May you strengthen our thighs and ankles to hold up under the strain of these your blessings. Amen."

I am passing “the gluttons blessing” on, I got a big chuckle out of it although its really not that far from the truth for any one of us. You don’t have to be 50 pounds overweight for this to apply to you, you may be extremely overfed in the amount of books that you own, or the piles of fabric that you have stashed in your closet or in my case the amount of buttons that are in your button basket. Again, it’s the principle isn’t it. We are so blessed it strains our ankles sometimes.

Thank you Lord Jesus for all your abundance and your many blessings. I do indeed at times feel the weight of them and forget how lucky I am. . . nora

Amazing how the Lord provides for us in His Word, this scripture says it all:

My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on you in the watches of the night; for you have been my help, and in the shadow of your wings I will sing for joy.(Psalms 63:5-7 ESV)

Thanksgiving has no meaning apart from the blessing, it is just another meal otherwise. Yes it’s good to have the family all around and the turkey is so golden brown, and who doesn’t love love love pie? But the blessing lasts and lasts. The pie is good for 6 bites. I love the idea of blessing, wouldn’t you love to have Moses place his hands on your head and say,

The Lord bless you and keep you;The Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.blessing - bible - numbers 6:24-26http://www.worldprayers.org/frameit.cgi?/archive/prayers/celebrations/the_lord_bless_you_and.htmlMost of us don’t know all the moments when we are prayed for and blessed, I know during my day I will pray for folks, it’s a simple prayer, "Lord Bless". Lord bless Ollie, Lord bless Gavin and when I say that I mean for God to open the floodgates of heaven on them and supply what ever the need is at that moment, be it an extra ounce of self control or unlimited love for a daycare provider to bestow on one of my grand kids. I trust that the Lord will know more than I will what the immediate need is for the person I am thinking about. But I do pray for them to be blessed. The need to pray blessings onto people was started a long long time ago in ancient times….. As our text we will consider an event in the life of Moses when the Lord spoke to him and told him to give Aaron, the high priest, some instructions. The text is found in Numbers 6:22-27:

"Then the Lord spoke to Moses saying, 'Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, "Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them:The Lord bless you, and keep you;The Lord make His face shine on you,And be gracious to you;The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,And give you peace."'So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and Ishall bless them."

According to Jewish writings, this benediction was quoted daily in the temple as well as in the synagogues. The words of this blessing, given through the mediator Moses, become even richer when we consider them in relationship to our new mediator and leader like Moses, that being Jesus Christ. The Lord's Blessing"The Lord bless you..." (Numbers 6:24a). The blessings of God, spiritual and physical, ought never to be taken for granted. This benediction recognizes the source of all good things as being God (cf. James 1:17).

The Lord's Keeping "...and keep you." (Numbers 6:24b). The idea of "keep you" is divine protection. In Moses' time, this would refer to protection from hostile invasions and drought and things chiefly of a physical nature.

The Lord's Shining Face"The Lord make His face shine upon you..." (Numbers 6:25a). The Lord's face is depicted a shining in several places in the Bible. It shines with a tremendous radiant glory, instilling awe in His creatures. We recall how even Moses' face once shined after communicating with the Lord.

However, there is more to it than that. The blessing asks the Lord to make His face "shine upon you." This suggests a pleasure or warmth of association with the Lord. Awareness of God's presence brings comfort to the faithful.

The Lord's Graciousness "...And be gracious to you;" (Numbers 6:25b).Certainly God favored the faithful of Moses' era with mercy and blessings. Our God is a God happy to give good things to His children. The nation of Israel never did better than during those times when it was loyal to God. Neither will our own nation, and the same thing applies to individuals.

The Lord's Countenance"The Lord lift up His countenance upon you..." (Numbers 6:26a). This phrase suggests the opposite of "hiding His face from you" which the Bible also uses (Isaiah 54:6). It suggests His interest as well as His readiness to help. It is a look of approval that the Lord gives to those who live by faith.

The Lord's Peace"...And give you peace." (Numbers 6:26b). This peace denotes stability and calmness. Isaiah wrote, "The steadfast of mind Thou wilt keep in perfect peace, because he trusts in Thee. Trust in the Lord forever, for in God, the Lord, we have an everlasting Rock." (Isaiah 26:3,4).http://www.bible.ca/ef/expository-numbers-6-22-27.htm

May YOU be blessed, Lord bless each and every eye that happens across this post… I pray that you are blessed, and know it, and PASS IT ON. :0)

Some useful info:(From Luther's Little Instruction Book: The Small Catechism of Martin Luther/Translation by Robert E. Smith, Author: Luther, Martin (1483-1546) Appendix II. How a Father Should Teach His Household to say Grace and Return Thanks at Meals: The children and servants should come to the table modestly and with folded hands and say:All eyes look to you, O Lord, and You give everyone food at the right time. You open Your generous hands and satisfy the hunger of all living things with what they desire.(Psalm 145:15-16)

Note: “What they desire” means that all animals get so much to eat, that they are happy and cheerful. Because, worry and greed interferes with such desires.

After this, pray the Lord’s Prayer and the following prayer:Lord God, Heavenly Father, bless us and these gifts, which we receive from Your generous hand, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Just a little PS: all the pics are my sweet little pilgrims and Thanksgiving decorations all dolled up with Picniks fancy dancers. If you have never tried Picnik for photo editing you should give it a try.

2 comments:

What an inspiring blog you have here!!!! I LOVE reading all your wonderful scriptures but I have to admit that chocolate pie recipe is to die for!!! Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving Day!!!blessings,Flora

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